Don't Blame The Mayor

October 25, 1995

Election officials and perhaps the courts will have to decide the extent of fraud and machine error in the recent Hartford Board of Education primary. But no further investigation is needed to condemn the comments made by people who admitted to voting illegally on Oct. 17.

City officials said the primary results will stand -- unless challenged in court -- despite the fact that as many as 44 extra votes were cast as a result of malfunctioning voting machines. One candidate failed to win by a single vote. Some voters in several city voting districts apparently could manipulate the levers to pick more than the allowed two candidates for full terms.

It was also discovered that at least two residents of other towns -- both employees of the Hartford school system -- voted in the primary. Perhaps there were more. A complaint has been filed with the state Elections Enforcement Commission.

Such voting is illegal; it carries penalties ranging from fines to prison and the loss of the right to vote.

The election was open to Hartford voters only, not people who are registered elsewhere. But the two who admitted to voting illegally seem to think they did nothing wrong.

Carol Vinick, who is registered to vote in West Hartford, blames Mayor Michael P. Peters' campaign for leading her down the wrong path. She says a Peters campaign worker told her that it was all right for her to vote in the Hartford Democratic primary in September. That's a ridiculous defense.

Bruce A. Michaels, who lives in Wethersfield, says that because he paid his city taxes through the end of the year, ``I think I have the right to vote [in Hartford]; I should have a say in what is going on.''

As Mr. Peters said: ``They weren't supposed to be voting in Hartford and they got caught. They shouldn't be blaming the mayor or anyone else for their own stupidity.''

Both these school employees should know better. By making excuses for voting illegally, they are poor role models. The state's attorney should also take a look at this apparent case of fraud.